Mauritius oil spill: Locals use straw, tights and hair to contain the damage

Locals in Mauritius are doing all they can to try and contain oil that a ship spilled into the sea.

The MV Wakashio was carrying around 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil and ran aground on a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island on 25 July.

Now local people are scrambling together to try and contain the damage. They're using absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks, and tubes made out of tights and hair.

Volunteers are trying to limit the damage

Mauritius is famous for its coral reefs and people travel from all around the world to see them.

If the oil keeps spilling into the sea, it will destroy the reefs and the sea creatures - so the locals have been doing everything they can to help stop it.

Diving centres, fishermen and others have all joined in the cleanup effort, with some providing sandwiches, guesthouses offering accommodation to volunteers and hair salons offering discounts to those donating hair.

The ship has been leaking oil into surrounding waters

It is thought that 1,000 tonnes of oil has already got into the water surrounding the boat carrying the oil and Environmentalists are concerned about the impact on the country's ecosystem.

On Friday, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of emergency and appealed for help.